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(More customer reviews)Does Logitech ever sleep? They seem to churn out new and improved peripherals at an unsustainable pace. Yet, here we are. The long-time peripheral maker is at it again and has unleashed the Kraken upon the PC gaming world. The new Logitech wireless G700 gaming mouse is most definitely a monster. In a good way.
PROS:
- Highly accurate tracking (5700dpi max)
- User replaceable AA rechargeable Eneloop battery
- 13 programmable buttons for each of 5 profiles
- Matte finish easy to grip
- Reasonably comfortable
- Hybrid mouse (corded mousing ability)
- Includes USB extension cable for wireless receiver
CONS:
- Charge only via powered USB port
- On the heavy side
- Slightly elevated slope might be uncomfortable to some
- Does not include a unifying receiver
Sometimes the packaging tells you everything about the product. I have owned countless Logitech mice and I'm very familiar with the packaging. A nice touch on the G700 is a tab that allows you to slide everything out of the box more easily without trashing the box. The G700 for me, is a replacement for my wired Logitech G9 Mouse, which replaced my older wireless Logitech G7 Mouse. I had used the G9 in conjunction with a Logitech MX Revolution wireless mouse, but I can safely say I no longer need 2 different mice for gaming and for general use.
COMFORT
The G700 is nearly as comfortable as the MX Revolution, to me. The G700 however, is higher at the peak of it's slope, with a higher backside than the MX Revolution. My fingers do not rest as comfortably down on the left/right buttons because my palm is more elevated than on the MX Revolution. It is more substantial than the G9 but more comfortable in my opinion. The one thing I wish were still possible in the G700 is the adjustable weight system that the G9 used. It's a bit on the heavy side and I would have preferred being able to set my own weight.
TRACKING
If you're a spec geek, you'll be happy to know that the tracking resolution on the G700 is a bountiful 5700 dpi. The G7 was rated at 2000 dpi and the G9 at 3200 dpi. I'm not sure why they couldn't use their Darkfield Laser technology on the G700. Perhaps it was a required compromise to keep the cost down from the already hefty price tag or perhaps it's not even possible. The Logitech Performance Mouse MX's resolution is still good at 1500 dpi, but not quite up to par with most gaming mice. Regardless, I had no problems tracking with the G700 and on-the-fly dpi changes were quick and easy.
There have been some chatter online about the G700 having problems with small, precise movements that are key to FPS games. I can say confidently that I don't have these problems. The SetPoint software I downloaded from Logitech did apply an update to the mouse though, so perhaps it was a firmware update to address this issue. I'm currently on firmware version 22.35.
CUSTOMIZATION
I have to say that the individually sculpted buttons on the G700 have been done as tasteful as you could want for a mouse with THIRTEEN buttons. There are 4 by the thumb, 3 by the forefinger, 3 for the scroll wheel, 1 under the scroll wheel, and of course, the left and right buttons. The scroll wheel is the highly vaunted hyper-fast scroll wheel that can scroll freely. The button directly under the wheel allows you to easily switch to the ratcheting style scroll and back. All the buttons are placed in easy to reach positions and all are customizable with the SetPoint software.
The G700-specific SetPoint options are separated from the keyboard so you won't see a tab for it if you happen to use a Logitech keyboard as well. The options in SetPoint are laid out well and easy to configure. From what I can tell, once you have written the configurations to the mouse's memory, you can use them on any computer without SetPoint. Great for LAN parties if you don't travel with your own rig. By default, the G700 comes with 3 profiles in which you can set different functions for each button. You can even add 2 more profiles, giving you a total of 5 profiles of 13 functions. That equates to a possible 65 different functions for your mouse. A mouse! You can keep track of which profile you are using with the LED indicators on the side.
WIRELESS PERFORMANCE
It's been a long time since I have had a wireless Logitech mouse give me problems with lag or stuttering and the G700 is no exception. I placed the nano receiver into the back of my desktop computer, which is located on the floor, under my desk. Logitech includes an extension cradle for receiver use, but I didn't need to use it. I have a cordless phone on the same desk as well as a single-band wireless N router.
BATTERY LIFE
Logitech gets bonus points from me for their innovation in the battery department here. First, the rechargeable battery is not only removable, but it's a standard AA NiMH battery that you can pick up for a buck or two anywhere. But wait, there's more! I flipped open the battery compartment to replace the rechargeable with my own Sanyo Eneloop low self-discharge battery and what did I see? A Sanyo Eneloop low self-discharge battery already IN the mouse! Now that is what I'm talkin' `bout Willis! It was low out of the box however so I needed to charge it right away. The battery in the old G7 mouse was actually quite a pain. It was a proprietary battery that you would swap out of the charging receiver, daily. Not only that, but replacements were impossible to find from Logitech. I'm not finished; the innovation doesn't stop there! Logitech included a micro-USB charging cable that inserts quickly and easily into the front of the G700 so that you can use it as a wired mouse while the battery is charging! Though Logitech marketing elected not to call it a hybrid mouse, that's exactly what the G700 is. Apparently the more expensive Razer Mamba has this hybrid ability as well. As should be expected, battery life doesn't come close to matching the old MX Revolution. However, the added flexibility of user replaceable batteries along with the charging/data cord option makes up for the shorter life, in my opinion.
MISC
I like the rough matte finish on the G700 as a matter of personal taste. It doesn't look as classy as my MX Revolution, but it also doesn't smudge like the MX Revolution. My one hope is that the finish doesn't peel like the precision grip on the G9 often did.
The other thing I noticed is that the nano receiver is not a unifying receiver. The unifying receiver is something Logitech has been touting heavily for the past year or two. This would have been nice in case you were using a Logitech wireless keyboard too, since the G700 already takes up 2 USB ports. I figure that Logitech wanted to avoid any complaints about performance due to sharing the bandwidth of a single USB port so they elected to leave out the unifying feature for their gaming hardware.
SUMMARY
The Logitech Wireless Gaming Mouse G700 is a fantastic wireless gaming mouse, especially for MMORPG games. It works well enough to also be a great everyday mouse. If you're really happy with your current mouse, I'm not sure it's worth forking down the Benjamin for the G700. But, if you don't like your curent mouse for some reason or it's on it's last legs, I say go for it. Sure, it could be lighter and more comfortable and have better battery life, but you're also gaining so much more. I personally have packed up my G9 and MX Revolution. In fact, I'd been holding off on getting Starcraft II for a while now and it looks like I have a great reason to finally go get it.
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